Author Archives: Bob Ruggiero

About Bob Ruggiero

I am a passionate fan of classic rock (and related music) with nearly 30 years experience writing about it for daily/weekly newspapers and magazines. I am also the author of "Slippin' Out of Darkness: The Story of WAR." Available on Amazon!

My New Classic Rock Book is Out Now!

Posted on May 30, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

I am very, very excited to announce the publication of my second book! The Classic Rock Bob Reader: Selected Interviews 1989-2023 collects 130 of my best talks over the years with Classic Rock musicians ranging from A-List Rock and Roll … Continue reading →

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A Golden Anniversary for the Wheat State Band

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

During the initial flush of worldwide Beatlemania, Ringo Starr was asked by on camera what he planned on doing when the bubble eventually burst in a couple of years. With utter sincerity, he told the reporter that he planned on … Continue reading →

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It’s Columbus Day Every Day for Little Feat

Posted on March 25, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

According to The 1970s Rock Rulebook, every performer or band was required to release a double live record album. For some acts, it broke them out in terms of popularity and recognition (KISS, Peter Frampton, Cheap Trick). For others, it … Continue reading →

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Hendrix: A Voodoo Child’s Not-So-Slight Return

Posted on March 16, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

There are a lot of estate organizers, trusts and conglomerations that look after the posthumous interests and product of rock stars. But Experience Hendrix, LLC, is the gold standard in terms of how it should be done, for the artist … Continue reading →

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The Hard Road and Hot Music of Sly Stone

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

Maybe things started to get out of hand when the cocaine magically appeared on every possible spare bathroom countertop or mirror. Or when the huge amounts of cash arrived in suitcases. Or when the heavy dudes with gangster vibes and … Continue reading →

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Reelin’ in the Years (and Peeling Back the Layers) of Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen

Posted on March 3, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

By picking Donald Fagen as the subject of a biography, Peter Jones certainly didn’t make things easy on himself. The Steely Dan co-founder has long been wary of the press and gave relatively few interviews during the band’s prime. And … Continue reading →

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Toto’s David Paich is a Boy with His Toys

Posted on February 25, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

In this new era of Zoom journalism interviews, it’s sometimes jarring to be instantly face-to-face (albeit via computer) with a live musician who for decades you’ve only seen on stage, in videos, or photographs. But there’s Toto’s co-founding singer/keyboardist/songwriter David … Continue reading →

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Rick Springfield Leads Tour of “Wall to Wall Hits”

Posted on February 9, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

Note: This interview was done for the Rick Springfield-Men at Work-John Waite tour from 2022. It’s a myth-busting notion that, outside of the 90 minutes or so they’re onstage performing, the reality of a successful touring rock musician is often … Continue reading →

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REO Speedwagon’s Bruce Hall Talks Licks and Links

Posted on January 26, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

Note: This interview was done in conjunction with the band’s summer 2022 tour. When we recently spoke with Ricky Phillips of Styx, the bass player told us that he and his fellow four-string thumpers and the current Live and Unzoomed … Continue reading →

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Stephen Bishop’s Separate Lives Come Together in Autobiography

Posted on January 21, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

In those long-ago pre-online days before TikTok, YouTube, or Bandcamp, if an aspiring songwriter wanted to get their work out there for more established artists to possibly record, he or she would cut a demo tape that would hopefully be … Continue reading →

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